The band formed in 1979 in Fort Collins, Colorado as Mnemonist Orchestra (later Mnemonists) lead by Mark Debyshir and William Sharp and recorded five albums on their own self-produced label, Dys.

In the mid 1980s they split into a visual arts group retaining the Mnemonists name and a musical group called Biota.[2]

Almost Never (1992) features three long compositions. The band's line-up was James Gardner, Tom Katsimpalis, Steve Scholbe, William Sharp, Gordon Whitlow, Larry Wilson and Randy Yeates.

On Object Holder (Recommended Records, 1995), the band's membership was James Gardner, Tom Katsimpalis, Steve Scholbe, William Sharp, Gordon Whitlow, Larry Wilson and Randy Yeates. Artwork for the album was by Mnemonists: Ken DeVries, Bill Ellsworth, Tom Katsimpalis, Dana Sharp, Stan Starbuck, Ann Stretton, E.M. Thomas, Dirk Vallons, Larry Wilson, Kyle Yeates and Randy Yeates. Musical guest appearances on the album are by drummer/lyricist Chris Cutler, vocalist Susanne Lewis, Andy Kredt, and Forever Einstein's Charles Vrtacek on piano, who later joined the band fully. Object Holder was their first album to include lyrics.

Genevieve Heistek (of Set Fire to Flames and Hrsta) joined the band for Invisible Map (2001), which otherwise included James Gardner, Tom Katsimpalis, Andy Kredt, Mark Piersel, Steve Scholbe, William Sharp, C. W. Vrtacek, Gordon Whitlow, Larry Wilson and Randy Yeates.

The band have only performed live twice: once in 1981, and in Montreal in 1990. The latter performance was eventually released as Musique Actuelle 1990.[3]

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